Can I become a good rower?

How do I become a beastly rower over the summer?

• My novice year of rowing is about to end. We practice September- May. I have been in the top boat all year, and I have always had good technique. But I want to work on getting my fitness and erg times better so I can be THE best girl on varsity. I know that's kind of a crazy goal, but I'm SOOO motivated. Also, September- December is 5k season so I should do long distance running over the summer, right? So basically, I need ideas for a plan on what to do over the summer which is June-August. Three months. I was thinking of running 5 miles a day, 6 days a week. And also doing pushups, ab workouts, and jump squats. Also, I might go to the gym to erg, which is definitely important, but I probably won't go much because I have no one to go with. I'm also going to a rowing camp in August. So what should I do over the summer to increase my fitness AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE?

• Answer:

  Fall is head racing season, so you're right in preparing with endurance workouts. I plan on shifting to more of endurance work in late July after my summer program ends. I'd recommend running a minimum of your 5 miles 6 days a week plan, and focus heavily on core, leg exercises (such as jump squats), and other body weight exercises. However, you should also remember to do aerobic threshold exercises such as 3 by 10 minutes on the erg at about 8-11 splits off of your 2k pace. Going to the gym maybe 3 times a week for a 2nd practice would do wonders. Weight lifting would also be beneficial, doing sets at lower weights and high reps. I'd do 3 sets of 30 reps for most workouts, because that's what seems to benefit me most for not only endurance, but for 2k's.